The present invention relates to an apparatus for replacing or changing a shaving blade that is secured or securable to a blade holder beam below the shaving carriage of an ice resurfacing machine via a plurality of screws.
Without such an apparatus the disassembly of a worn-out shaving blade, as well as the remounting of a new or freshly sharpened blade, on such an ice resurfacing machine is very time consuming and is extremely difficult and dangerous.
With ice resurfacing machines, the shaving blade is generally securely screwed below the shaving carriage. The spacing of the blade relative to the workshop floor when the shaving carriage is raised is generally about 200 mm. The distance of the blade to the rear edge of the shaving carriage is generally about 400 mm. Present for the securement of the blade, as part of the ice resurfacing machine, is a blade holder beam to which the blade is secured, in particular via counter-sunk or slotted flat-head screws, which via the flat head are inserted from below through the blade and the blade holder beam, and are secured from above by means of a nut. Multi-cornered, countersunk socket head screws, such as hexagonal socket screws, are generally used as the screws.
For the changing of the blade, the mechanic, who is on his knees, must grasp from behind the shaving carriage and below the shaving carriage, must from below fix with a screw driver, for example a hollow screw driver, the socket screws that are screwed in about 400 mm ahead of the rear edge of the carriage, and at the same time must loosen the tightened nuts that are disposed about 400 mm ahead of the rear edge of the carriage of the ice resurfacing machine and about 300 mm below the upper edge of the shaving carriage.
Prior to loosening the screws in order to remove the blade, the blade must be fixed on both sides by lowering the shaving carriage onto beams, generally wooden beams. After all of the screws have been removed, the shaving carriage is again raised, and the blade that is disposed on the beams must be pulled out and placed upon an available blade protector.
The sharpened new blade is subsequently placed upon the wooden beams and is shoved together with the wooden beams approximately into position below the shaving carriage, which must subsequently again be lowered to the required height in order to be able to guide the blade screws through the blade and the blade carrier.
US 2007/0277360 discloses an apparatus for changing ice scraper blades that are fastened or may be fastened by screws to a blade holder beam of an ice resurfacing machine. Mounted on opposite ends of the base frame of the ice resurfacing machine are two caster wheels upon which the base frame can be rolled over a horizontal ice surface or floor. A flat or shallow lift can be used for the placement, lowering, raising, and moving back and forth of the blade.
Other devices for changing ice scraper blades of ice resurfacing machines are known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,350 and CA 2,643,560.
It an object of the present invention to provide an improved blade-changing apparatus with which the necessary mounting work can be effected more rapidly, and in particular the loosening and also the mounting of the blade can be effected almost without any danger from the upper side of the shaving carriage without the mechanic having to kneel down and grasp below the shaving carriage, thereby also entirely avoiding any contact with the shaving blade.